Bhatkal: The missing Bharat Benz lorry and its driver, Arjun, who hailed from Kerala, were recovered today, Wednesday, after a third attempt in the ongoing search operation, which entered its sixth day.

To recall, during the heavy rains on July 16, a devastating landslide occurred on National Highway 66 in Ankola's Shiruru village. The disaster claimed 11 lives. While eight bodies were recovered, the remains of locals Jagannath Naik, Lokesh Naik, and Kerala native Arjun remained unaccounted for at the time.

The search operations were temporarily halted on July 28 due to heavy rainfall and increased water flow in the Gangavali River.

Today, during the third search attempt in the Gangavali River, multiple remains were reportedly discovered. Early this morning, a dredging machine unearthed large debris along with a spare part of the missing lorry driven by Arjun. The search intensified, and the Bharat Benz lorry was eventually located and lifted onto a barge using a crane, officials confirmed.

On Saturday, divers had located the cabin and two tires of the tanker, while a bone was found during dredging operations on Sunday, which has been sent for a DNA test to determine if it belongs to one of the missing victims.

With Arjun's body now recovered, the search continues for the remaining two victims. The Uttara Kannada district administration has been conducting continuous operations to locate them.